As new pool costs edge higher, City Council delays action

The Sidney City Council tabled an agenda item on Tuesday that would have allowed the proposed new swimming pool project to move forward after bids came back higher than expected.

Mayor Mark Nienhueser said the City Council needs more information before proceeding with the project.

The decision came early in a marathon meeting that lasted until 2 a.m. Wednesday. Councilors spent the majority of the night in an executive session, discussing personnel issues.

In April, engineers estimated the total cost of a new outdoor municipal pool complex at a little more than $5 million. On Tuesday night, Jeff Anker, from Saunders Construction, said the actual cost would be $440,000 higher. The new number is based on actual bids.

However, City Manager Gary Person explained that amount included $300,000 in contingencies, some of which would likely be eliminated as the project progressed. In the best-case scenario, he said, the new price represents a $140,000 increase, in addition to any contingencies.

The project has been in the works for five years, and current plans include a competition pool, recreation pool with splash amenities, a lazy river and a water slide.

Numerous members of the public made comments, asking if an indoor pool had been completely ruled out, inquiring if councilors had considered the need to increase the number of lifeguards at the proposed facility and if diving blocks and lane ropes from the current pool could be reused to save money.

Chuck Musgrave, a representative from the architecture firm working on the project, said items would be reused in the pool.

"We've tried to incorporate that," he said. "But, there are limits of what we can do to meet new codes and handle the new pool design, which is slightly different."

Person also explained discussions and public meetings have already taken place with stakeholders to identify what features are important for the new pool.

When asked for a timeline of construction, Anker said he anticipates work would begin in mid-August and be completed by May.

"With all things right, we'd be able to open by Memorial Day," he said.

Musgrave added that means the project is about two weeks behind schedule.

The mayor said he didn't have enough information to justify approving work on the project to begin without seeing contract agreements, schedules and a summary of all the costs.

The cost of pool complex has already increased $1 million from what was originally planned, he said.

"We need more information," Nienhueser said. "So with that, we're going to table this."

Also at the meeting:

• Around 9 p.m., the City Council entered into a 5-hour executive session. The reason for the closed session was identified as "personnel issues." Four city employees – Joe Aikens, John Hehnke, B.J. Wilkinson and Gary Person – were individually summoned to speak with councilors. At 2 a.m., the council returned from the closed-door session.

"At this point, we've taken a lot of information into consideration," Nienhueser said, "and we're going to digest what we've heard. And we will being making no action on anything further at this point."

• A bid for the installation of water and sewer infrastructure at the Sidney Business Park was unanimously rejected. According to Baker and Associates, engineers for the project, the bids were significantly higher than the project cost.

Person said there was a meeting scheduled for Wednesday to discuss ways to reduce the costs.

• Public hearings regarding rezoning three lots of the Sidney Business Park from heavy manufacturing to heavy commercial and a proposed city landscaping ordinance were set for the Aug. 11 City Council meeting.

• The next Sidney City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 11 at 7:15 p.m. at City Hall.